Hydro is my choice but I am always looking for speed. Belt is more economical if price is an issue. You also might want to consider what type of mowing you are doing. If you are mowing at your leisure and you don't have to worry about rain then a belt would be ok. If you have lots of small spaces and turns then a hydro would help.
I personally tried a Scag and was not a fan of the pistol grips but it was ok otherwise. I have not tried an Exmark. I have a Toro 15hp hydro w/44" deck. The T-bar is by far the easiest to use in my opinion. Good Luck.

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Location: PRETTY SOON BETWEEN PALERMO AND AYRSHIRE BUT RIGHT NOW SWEET HOME CHICAGO

Posts: 1,783

HYDRO is better for sure for a pro, but since you will probaley only be doing your own lawn things like belt slippings would not be as big of a problem for you .pros have to mow a lot in wet conditions homeowners rarely have to.Like 65hoss said exmark mowers are good i would say they are the first or second best brand out there.I like also what im seeing from gravely comeing in 2002 .But since youre looking for used mowers i wont go into them

One thing about the belt drives in my experience is no reverse, sure there is an R on the transmission but any of the peerless transmissions which are common on most belt drives severely lack the capability to back up if there is any resistance. Also, remember repair costs on a hydro are far more expensive than a belt drive. Hydro pumps are a whole lot more expensive than a set of wheel belts. But ahhhh, that reverse sure is nice. Might want to also consider Ransomes Bobcat have had great luck with them in the past 11 Years.

In my opinion Scag is a better brand because I own one and I guess I have never really tryed one. Other landscapers in my area use mostly Scag,Bunton, and Walker. I would agree that the belt would be the best choice for a homeowner like yourself.